Wikis in Bb

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Wikis in Bb
Presented By Nicola van den Berg
28th September 2005
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• Session Outline
• Define Wikis
• Wiki Features and Challenges
• Why Wikis in Bb
• Integrating Wikis with Blackboard
• Case Study
• Summary

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What are Wikis?

• Definition of a Wiki
• Wiki is a piece of server software that allows
  users to freely create and edit Web page content
  using any Web browser.
• Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text
  syntax for creating new pages and crosslinks
  between internal pages on the fly.
• http//wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki

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• The word Wiki originates from the Hawaiian
  Wiki, which means quick. Wikis have been in
  existence for almost ten years. They were first
  described and introduced to users of the World
  Wide Web in 1995 by Ward Cunningham who also
  developed the original software.
• (Leuf, B and Cunningham, W. (2001).
• The Wiki Way Quick collaboration on the Web,
• pub Addison-Wesley Longmann.)

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Camel Case
Example Wiki page
Edit Page
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• Some of the features of Wikis are
• Content is instantly published
• Links are easily created
• Only need a browser to use a Wiki

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• Some of the features of Wikis are
• No need to know complex programming or web
  languages.
• Information is easily shared
• Work well for collaborative activites, such as
  brainstorming, lists, event planning, and
  document creation.

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• Some of the challenges of Wikis are
• Because anyone can post a contribution, people
  can populate wiki pages with spam.
• However, most wiki software offers the ability to
  lock pages down.
• When several users are editing pages at the same
  time, conflicts can occur
• However, there is the ability to view current
  text plus the text you were working on, allowing
  you to fit both together.

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Why Wikis in Blackboard?

• What can Wikis Offer? What are their uses?
• Support collaborative contribution to documents
• Enable students to add content to a shared page
• Provide a space students can use to publicly
  display information

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Students collaboratively contribute to content,
by adding links and descriptions to the Wiki page.
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• Example tasks
• Group writing an outline for a project
• Brainstorming
• Collaborative document creation
• Event planning
• Development of a shared web resource collection

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Wikis in Bb How was it done?

• Installed UseMod (http//www.usemod.com/cgi-bin/wi
  ki.pl)
• Set Config files
• Determined usage parameters
• Put Scripts in place so that the Wiki did what we
  wanted
• Created Instructions and Guidelines

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Click Save to complete the creation of your
wiki page
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Integration with Bb

• Wiki pages can be integrated with Blackboard by
  adding URL links into Blackboard courses.
• The most common way has been to link a Wiki page
  from the Course Menu.

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Integration with Bb

• Other variants have included linking to specific
  wiki pages, from different sections within the
  Blackboard course.
• By having the wiki pages open within the page
  rather than in a new window, the wiki becomes
  seamless with Blackboard.

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Case Study of use
Example of Wiki page inside Bb
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Case Study of use
Example of Wiki page inside Bb
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Summary

• We chose wiki software, customised it for our
  use, and made it available.
• We have made people aware about what wikis are,
  at the same time as our wiki in Bb pilot, we have
  made a wiki freely available to any user as a
  sandpit area for people to explore wikis.
• So far the uptake has been slow, but the interest
  is growing!

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Where to From here?

• The next step is to offer comprehensive workshops
  to Bb Users on the use of wikis.
• We will continue to look at other Wiki Software,
  and may switch to a more comprehensive wiki
  software at a later date.

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So What do you need to do ?

• Choose Wiki software that is right for your
  institution
• Install it on a Server
• Explore the software to find the best way for it
  to work for you
• Let your staff know about it!

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• There is lots of different Wiki software
  available,
• that use different programming Languages.
• http//c2.com/cgi-bin/wiki?WikiEngines

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Questions?
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• Nicola van den Berg
• Unitec New Zealand
• nvandenberg_at_unitec.ac.nz